1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dispenser, for use with a supply of pills, tablets, pellets, capsules, or the like. In particular, the invention relates to a dispenser, wherein the supply of pills, tablets, pellets, or capsules is dispensable therefrom one at a time.
2. Description of the Prior Art
All consumers are well aware of the difficulties involved in removing pills, tablets, pellets, capsules, or the like from a container. In most containers, the neck is too small to effectively reach in and remove a pill. To compensate, the user generally attempts to remove a pill by tipping the container in a manner that causes a portion of contents therein to go into the user's hand. This frequency results in a greater number of pills being dispensed than is desired, and consequently, the sterility of the pills is destroyed when the excess pills are returned to the container. Furthermore, this procedure is awkward and time consuming, particularly when a pill is needed immediately for medical reasons. In the prior art, there have been numerous attempts to provide a dispenser for dispensing one pill at a time.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,838,204 to Snyder teaches a pill dispenser having a single piece design. The dispensing portion is a flat-walled tube of resilient material having a longitudinal slit through which individual pills are manually manipulated therethrough. The pill dispenser provides protection from moisture or other forms of contamination.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,257,029 to Snyder teaches a pill dispenser having a two piece design adapted to engage the neck of a pill container. The user is required to rotate one piece of the design with respect to another to effect dispensing of a pill by a series of successive rotative movements while the container is held upside down.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,991,908 to Thomas et al. teaches a pill dispensing cap assembly adapted for mounting on the neck of a pill container. The cap assembly includes a plurality of different components, including a rotor member to pick up a pill from the container and transfer it to a dispensing end. The design of the cap was directed towards nitroglycerin tablets and others of similar shape and size, ad would have to be adapted for use with pills of different shapes and/or sizes.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,668 there is disclosed a container for storing and disposing small objects, such as capsules or pills containing medicament, one at a time. The container comprises a receptacle containing, within itself, a delivery mechanism including a funnel-shaped exit port for capsules and a capsule or pill delivery tube at the end of said funnel-shaped exit designed to accomodate no more than one pill or capsule. The inner end of the receptacle is pressed into or twisted in the user's hand which moves resiliently mounted gate members, thus opening the delivery tube and delivering a single small object to the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,887,738 discloses an article dispenser especially useful for dispensing pills of the prescription drug or over-the-counter type, comprising three components including a container member, a dispenser control member and a flexible member. The container member provides a dispenser portion through which the articles are passed in a serial array whereby one article reaches an exit aperture while the remaining articles are restrained at gate apertures within the dispenser portion by the flexible member and the control member. The dispenser components are preferably made of low-cost molded plastic and when assembled provide an easy access dispenser not requiring two hands for activation.
U.S. Pat. No.5,791,515 there is disclosed a one-at-a-time pill container and dispenser having a mechanism which allows for use of the device with existing containers. A child-proof lock is provided. The device has a mechanism for ensuring that only a single pill is brought into the dispensing chamber as a consequence of a partial rotation of the cap with respect to the bottle body. A reverse partial rotation of the cap then allows the pill to fall by gravity into the user's hand.
While the prior art teaches effective means for dispensing pills one at a time, there are a number of inherent drawbacks in the disclosed designs.
One disadvantage inherent in the prior art, is fact that the range of pill shapes and sizes is restricted for any one dispenser. Consequently, the pill dispensers are constructed with specifications dictated by the predetermined size and shape of the pill. Obviously, having to manufacture a unique dispenser of each pill with a different size and shape escalates the manufacturing costs, and limits the interest in one-at-a-time pill dispensers. Thus, there is a need for a one-at-a-time pill dispenser that can accomodate and operate with a variety of pill shapes and sizes.
Another drawback is that most of these designs are too intricate to economically mass-produce for use with currently available commercial products e.g., bottles containing prescription drugs or over-the counter medications. In fact, there is an unmet demand for a low cost, easy to manufacture one-at-a-time pill dispenser, which requires little or no assembly. Thus, it is highly desirable to device a pill dispenser with a limited number of components to reduce manufacturing and assembly costs.
Another disadvantage found in some pill dispensers relates to the manual dexterity needed to operate the one-at-a-time pill mechanism. Much of the prior art teaches rotative manipulation of the pill dispenser, while other prior art requires a considerable amount of manual manipulation. Many users, some of which have acute restrictions, require a pill dispenser that does not involve rotative motions, and that also requires limited manual manipulation. Furthermore, many users have great difficulty in determining how one-at-a-time pill dispensers operate, thus limiting the extent to which prior art devices can be used. Accordingly, it is desirable to produce an easy to use pill dispenser, which dispenses one pill at a time with limited manual manipulation and/or rotation of the user's hands.
Yet another disadvantage in the prior art is the absence of an inherently childproof mechanism. Typically, the childproof mechanisms that are used make it difficult for persons using the pill dispenser to acquire a pill(s) in an easy and rapid manner. In particular, many of these mechanisms are burdensome on arthritic patients.
Furthermore, in some instances the pill container of the prior art requires modifications to mount the dispensing assembly. It is desired that the pill dispensing assembly be readily mountable on typical off-the-shelf pill containers and/or those provided at most pharmacies.
Also described in the prior art, are one-at-a-time pill dispensers that only dispense one pill at a time. In many circumstances, it is desirable to dispense more than one pill at a time, even though normally only one pill is dispensed at a time. For example, consider a typical container of pain reliever for use in an environment with several individuals. Although most individuals will only need to dispense one pill at a time, there are some individuals who require more than one pill at a time, and enjoy the speed and convenience of removing more than one pill at a time. These individuals become frustrated if the option of removing more than one pill at a time is eliminated. In the prior art, there are also described one-at-a-time dispensers that are integrated within the design of the container. In such circumstances, individuals who do not wish to use the one-at-a-time mode of delivery are required to do so. Furthermore, if the mechanisms for dispensing one pill at a time is damaged, the container is rendered useless. It is desirable to have a one-at-a-time pill dispenser that operates in two modes of operation, namely a uni-mode and a multi-mode, and that is readily adaptable to commercial containers.
In general, it is highly desirable to invent a pill dispenser that is less expensive to manufacture and/or assemble, is easy to use, and which involves a different type of motion by the user to gain access to the articles contained therein.